The present invention generally relates to mowing blades. More specifically, the present invention relates to mowing blades which have an impact energy absorbing structure.
Walk-behind lawn mowers, riding lawn mowers, tractors and other mowing machines have mowing blades which rotate at a relatively high speed to cut grass and other materials. From time to time, operators mistakenly move the mowing machines into the path of stakes, pipes, rocks or other obstructing objects. When this occurs, the impact of the obstructing object can cause damage to the mowing blade as well as damage to the drive mechanism of the mowing machine. Damage to the drive mechanism can render the mowing machine inoperable, requiring relatively expensive repairs. In some cases, damage to the drive mechanism can require replacement of the entire mowing machine.
There are existing mowing blades which include blade tips connected with fasteners to the body of the blade. If the blade tips strike an obstructing object, the blade tips can pivot. As a result, less damaging force is transmitted to the drive mechanism of the mowing machine.
This type of mowing blade has several disadvantages. The multiple parts require regular maintenance to ensure the fasteners remain tight. In addition, this blade could require adjustment even when the blade has not struck an obstructing object. For example, the fasteners can come loose when an operator is cutting relatively dense grass or wet grass or even when the blade strikes objects (such as wood chunks or sand) which might not cause damage to the drive mechanism. Such maintenance can be inconvenient and can also cause operators to incur adjustment expenses. Also, this blade can pose a hazard in that the blade tips can come apart during operation and possibly strike an operator or bystander. In addition, this blade can be relatively complex and expensive to manufacture due to the multiple parts. Generally, this blade has inherent performance restrictions due to its multiple parts.
Therefore, there is a need to overcome these disadvantages.